Winding machine



' p 3,1946- A. H. MULLER 2,406,846 I WINDING MACHINE Filed June 28, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 //vv/v TOR AHMUL LER Patented Sept. 3, 1946 2,406,846 WINDING MACHINE .Arno H. Muller, Wood-Ridge, N. J., assignor to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 28, 1940, Serial No. 342,885 4 Claims. (01. 242-9) This invention relates to winding machines and more particularly to machines for winding strand material onto supports.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine capable of accurately winding a wire onto a support when the distance between a spool of the wire and the point of application of the wire to the support is changing during the winding operation.

A feature of the invention resides in a carriage means for holding the support on which the wire is being wound.

Another feature resides in a brace for holding the support against distortion.

Another feature resides in wire guiding means for guiding the wire onto the support.

Another feature resides in a Windlass involving means for automatically controlling the tension of the wireas it runs from a spool to the support upon which the wire is b ing wound. I

Other features reside in the particular form of the parts and their arrangement in combination. a i

In the drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a top and an end view in perspective of the winding machine;

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective and partly in. section of a portion of the machine and taken from the lower right corner of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side view, partly in section, of the Windlass with a supply of wire supported thereon and a portion of a ring gear of the machine, the Windlass being supported on the ring gear;

,Fig. 5 is an end view, partly in section, of a portion of the Windlass and a portion of th ring gear of the machine taken on the line 5-5 in.

Fig. .4; and r Figs. 6, land 8 show various forms of supports and resistance windings on the supports. In making wire woundelectrical devices comprising a strip of comparatively thin insulating material and a winding of wire on the strip, and

more particularly in making so-called tapered form resistance elementscomprising a tapered strip of insulating material and a winding of resistance wire on the strip, it is often found difiicult to accurately Wind the wire on the strip however, must not be such as to cause breaking of the wire or distorting of the strip.

In the winding machine I have invented and which is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, means are provided for holding a flat strip of insulating material against distortion while the wire is being wound on the strip and means are also provided to maintain a constant tension on the wire during the winding operation.

The machine I comprises alongitudinally movable carriage 2 and a relatively large rotatable ring gear 3 which is adapted to carry a spool of wire .4 around the line of travel of a strip of insulating material supported on the carriage 2. The strip of insulating material may be of any desired form, one of which is shown at 5, and

in Fig. 8. The carriage 2 comprises a rectangular.

platform 6 equipped with flanged wheels I and 8 which ride on a track 9 supported on a base plate 10. Supported on and extending upward from one end portion of the platform 6 is an arm H on the upper end of which is a block l2 and a clamp plate l3 equipped with screws [4. An arm I5 is carried by and extends upward from the other end portion of the platform 6, the arm l5 being in alignment with the arm II and having a relatively long fiat upper portion l6 secured to the upper surface of whichis a plate l1. Adjustably supported on the plate I1 is a relatively long flat bar l8. The bar l8 has an elongated aperture is running almost the full length of the bar and is adjustably held on the plate I! by means of screws 20 and washers 2| the screws 20 extending through the aperture 19 and into the plate H. A block 22 is welded or otherwise secured across one end portion of the bar 18 to support a clamp plate 23 which is secured in place by means of screws 24 extendingthrough the clamp plate 23 and into the block 22. bar IS with its block 22 and clamp plat 23 and the arm H with its block l2 and. clamp plate l3 are used in cooperation as supporting means for a strip of insulating material on which a wire is to be wound, one end of the strip beingclamped between the block l2 and theclamp plate I 3 and the other end of the strip being clamped between the block 22 and the clamp plate 23. The bar I8 is arranged to. be-adjustably supported on the plate I! to accommodate different length strips of insulating material. A U-shaped bracket 25 equipped with a track 26 is supported on the arms II and I5 and so that the track 26 runs parallel with and in an elevated and offset position relative to the track 9. The track 26 rests on a flanged wheel 21 which is suitably; supported on The.

section and the forms and arrangements of the.

wheels operating thereon are such that extremely true running of the carriage 2 is obtained" The track 9 has its under flat surface secured to. the. base plate and presents three;upp er-fiat"sur-- faces to the wheels 1 and 8 which are'suitably formed to bear against the three upper fiat surfaces of the track 9. its fiat faces secured against the flat portion-of the bracket as shownat 3| in Fig. 2 and presents a V-shaped surface to the Wheel 21 supported on the post 28; the wheel- 21 having a V-shaped peripheral groove-to receive thelower faces of the track 26.- Side play of the carriage 2 is thus reduced to a minimum bythe form andarrangement of the tracks and wheels; roller 32- supported on an arm'33 of the'frame bears'against an upper surface of the platform 6 to prevent tilting of the carriage 2 onits points of support. A rack 34 supported on the upper surface ofthe platform Band'a pinion 35 on a rotatabl'eshaft 36 are-provided to longitudinally move the carriage 2.

The frame 36 is mounted in an upright positionon the base plate [El and comprises spaced L- shaped" brackets 3Tand 38" and the'cross-bar 29; Three Wheels 39; 6-0 and'4-laresupported'in equall'y spaced relationbyposts 412', 43-and 44 extending from the frame 36; thewheels 39;- and 41 being arranged in a triangular formation and operating;

on suitable bearings 45 supported-on'pins-4-6 supported on and extending-from the posts 42, 43 and 44. The wheels'39, dl andil have V-shaped'peripheral' grooves adapted to receive theinnersurface 41' of the ring 'gear-3ithe inner surface-4'! beingdouble beveled to fit intothe peripheral groove'on the wheels 39; 40 and M The ring gear 3 is supported by andis-rotatably' movable on the wheels 39, 40 anddl and-is'driven by means of a pinion 48 mounted on a rotatable shaft 49 supported in a suitable bearing in a stand 56 I which extends upward from the base plate ID. A pulley 5'! rotatablysupported 0n the shaft 49'-is-driven by'means of a belt 52 running;

from a motor 53: A' dog 54' pivotally supportedon the pulley 51- engages a ratchet wheel 55 which is secured to the shaft 49. When the-pulley 5| is driven in one direction the dog 54 transmits rotational movement of the pulley 5I'to the shaft 69 andcauses-corresponding rotation of the pinion 48. The normal direction of movement of' the pulley-5|, the'shaft 49 andthe pinion 63 is clockwise when Viewed in the position shown ,iirFig. 2

andthenormal direction of movement of 'the ring:

gear 3is counterclockwise. The ring'gear 3 may be manually'moved'in-this directionwithout applying a pull to the; motor:'53;, If thedogb isv lifted out of engagement'with the teeth of the.

ratchet wheel 55'the ring gear 3 may be manually rotated in a reverse direction without pulling the motor-53.-

Thering gear 3 isinmesh with a pinion 56, whichis attachedto a rotatable shaft 51 suitably supported in the frame 30. The shaft- 51 has a worm end 58in mesh with aworm wheel 59 attached to a rotatable-shaft- 60-which isjournaled' The track. 261 has one of 4 in two spaced brackets 6! and 62 supported on the frame 30. The shaft 60 is equipped with a worm 63 in mesh with the worm wheel 64 which is removabl mounted on a stub shaft 65 journaled in a block 66. The block 66 is adjustably supported on the bracket 62 by means of a screw, not shown, but which projects through an elongated aperture 61' in the bracket 62 and? into the block 66. The stub shaft 65 is equipped on one end with a bevel gear, not shown, but which is adapted t'o'engage a bevel gear 68 on the shaft 36. When the stub. shaft 65 is rotating and the bevel gear on the stub shaft is in engagement with the bevel gear 68the shaft. 36.is rotated to move the carriage,2 along the, track 9 on the bed plate I!) of its lower edge and the-shaft 36 having two spaced annular grooves to receive the notched portion of the latch arm. When the latcharm- 69'is lifted into a notch ill-in a plate 11-, on the frame 30, the latch arm is out of engagement with' the shaft 36. The shaft 36 may then belongitudinally moved to move the bevel gear- 68relative to the bevel gear on the'stub shaft 65'and' bringone'of.

the annular grooves in the shaft 36' under the notch portion of the'latch-arm'69. Release of the latch arm 69 will then resultin-engagement of the latch arm' 69 in the selected groove: on the shaft 36 to hold the shaft 36 in a required position.

A Windlass 12 is carried by the ring' gear 3to carry a spool 6 of wire around the line of travel of a support upon which the wire-is to bewound. The support may be, forinstance, the-support 5 shown in Figs. 1, 2,- 3' and 8 or may beany other desired form of support such, for instance. as shown in Figs. 6'and'7. The windlassJZcomprises as shown in Figs: 4 and 5 a cylindrical rod 13 securedat-oneend'to the ring gear'3 and pro.- jecting normal to the plane of the ring gear, a sleeve 74 rotatably supported on the rod 13; a spiral spring 15 and acup-shaped housing-'16 for the spring '55; The cup-shaped member'lfi is rotatabfy supported on the sleevel and is secured bymeans'of'a pin lTto theouter end of'the spring 15. The inner end of the spring 15 is secured in a slot 18 in the sleeve 14. The sleeve M. is normally held against rotation" on therod 13 by means of a helicaI springiTB whichsis'disposed" on the rod 13 between an outerend ofthe sleeve," andia male-threaded collar 86, the collar 8Elbeing adjustablysupported onthe-rod 13 by means of a set screw 3|. engaging a flat portion 82 of the rod E3 The 7 spring '2' 9 is compressed to v a sufficient extentto press the inner endofthe sleeve 14 intov frictional engagement with the ring gear 3, the springpressure being regulated'b moving the collar 86 along the rod 13. By suitable adjustment ofthe collar 86 along the rodl3 the sleeve 'M'may be so pressed against the ring gear 3 as tochold the sleeve 14 against rotation on the .rod'13while the" housing is being rotated to wind up the spiral spring 15.. When the spring 15 is fully wound 'up and a further rotational force is applied tothe housing 16; the sleeve 14 will slip around on the rod 13 since it is only frictionally held by the pressure of the spring I9. Any desired spring pressure may be obtained by movement of the collar 80 along the rod l3or by making the spring 19 of relativel light or heavy spring material. The Windlass 12 is equipped with a spool 4 containing a supply of wire 83, the spool 4 comprising the spoolheads 84 and 85 and the barrel portion 86. The spoolhead 84 is apertured or indented at 81 to receive a pin 88 projecting from the cupshaped housing member 16. The spool 4 is mounted on the sleeve 14 so that the spoolhead 84 is against the bottom of the cup-shaped housing member 16 and the pin 88 is in the aperture or indentation 81. An internally threaded cap 89 is mounted on the collar 89 to prevent accidental withdrawal of the spool 4 from the sleeve 14, the cap 89 having its inner end located adjacent the outer face of the spoolhead 85. The cap 89 is not turned down tight enough on the collar89 to prevent rotation of the spool 4 but is only turned to a suflicient extent to prevent disengagement of the pin 88 from the aperture or indentation 8! in the spoolhead 84. The cap 89 may be readily removed by hand to permit withdrawal of the spool 4 from the sleeve 74 and to permit changing of the position of the collar 89 to change the pressure of the spring 19.

When wire is being withdrawn from the spool 4 the pull on the wire 83 causes rotation of the spool 4 and corresponding rotation of the housing 79 to wind up the spring 15. The energy stored up in the spring 15 will cause a. reverse movement of the housing 16 and tlie spool 4 if the pull on the wire 83 is released or lessened to a sufiicient extent to create a slack in the wire extending from the spool. This reverse movement of the housing 16 and the spool 4 will cause rewinding of the wire 83 onto the spool 4. Should the spring 15 become fully wound up during the withdrawal of the wire 83 from the spool and the pull on the wire is continued, the sleeve M will slip around on the rod 13 and thus prevent breaking of the wire 83. Since the pressure of the spring 19 can be readily adjusted by the setting of the collar 88 and the spring 19 can be replaced by a lighter or a heavier spring the Windlass 12 can be made to take care of wires of different tensile strengths.

Wire guiding means are provided on the ring gear 3 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to guide the wire 83 from the spool 4 onto a support 5 carried by the carriage 2. The wire guiding means comprise a roller 98 and a pulley 9|. The roller 99 is supported by a bracket 92 on the ring gear 3 and is disposed in parallel spaced relation with the front face of the ring gear 3. The pulley 9! has a V-shaped peripheral groove and is rotatably supported on a stud 93 extending normal from the front face of the ring gear 3. The wire 83 passes between the roller 99 and the front face of the ring gear 3 and then into the groove in the pulley 9|. The wire 83 is extended from the pulley 9| and halfway across the convex surface of a brace 94 to the support on which the wire is to be wound. The brace 94 is supported on the frame 30 and extends diametrically of the ring gear 3. An elongated aperture 95 is providedv in the brace 94 to receive a portion of the support 5, the support 5 being extended transversely through the brace 94. The brace 14 has two functions, one of which is to steady the support 5 at the particular point of application of the wire 83 to the support and the other to serve as aguiding means for the wire 83. The brace 94 is disposed slightly forward of the plane of the pulley 9| so that the wire 83 is snubbed over the convex surface of the brace and is guided directly to the particular instant point it is desired to apply the wire to the support.

A snap switch 96 equipped with a handle 91 is mounted on the base plate In in the line of travel of the carriage 2. The snap switch 95 controls theoperation of the motor 53. An adjustably mounted bumper 98 is provided on one end of the carriage 2 to operate the switch 98 when the carriage 2 has traveled a predetermined distance in one direction. At the opposite end of its line of travel the carriage 2 is prevented from running off the base of the machine by means of a stop 99, which is secured to the base plate l0.

To explain more fully in detail the operation of the machine I it will be assumed that the wire 83 is to be wound on a support 5 of the form shown in Fig. 8 and which comprises a strip of sheet insulating material having a straight lower edge I00, a curved edge lfll and a rectangular end portion I92 corresponding in width to the opposite end portion H13. The support 5 is extended through the aperture 95 in the brace 94 and end portions of the support 5 are secured to the carriage 2, one end of the support 5 being clamped in place by means of the block I2 and the plate l3 and the other end being secured between the block 22 and the plate 23, the bar l8 having been adjusted to a required position to hold the support 5 in a taut condition.

of the wire 83 is passed under the roller 99 and through the groovein the pulley 9i and is then secured in a clip I94 supported on the arm H; In the manual setting of the machine, preparatory to its automatic operation, energy is stored up in the spring 15 as the wire 83 is being withdrawn from the spool toextend the wire 83 through the groove in the pulley 9! to the clip I84. The energy thus initially stored up in the spring 15 maintains the wire 83 in a taut condition since the windlass 12 is being urged by the spring 15 to rewind the wire on the spool 4. The winding machine is then set in condition for operation by longitudinally moving th shaft 35 so that the pinion 35 is in engagement with the rack 34 and the bevel gear 98 is in engagement with the bevel gear, not shown, but which is mounted on the lower end of the stub shaft 65, the shaft 35 being latched in the required position by means. of the latch arm 89. When the winding machine is started by manual closing of the switch 96, the ring gear 3 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction and carries the wire 83 around the support 5 which by'reason of its support in the carriage 2 is moved longitudinally forward through the ring gear 3. During the winding of the wire 83 onto the support 5 the distance between the point of application of the wire to the support 5 and the pulley 9| and also the Windlass 12 is shortening or lengthening due to the particular form of the support 5. When the distance is lengthening, the wire 83 is drawn from the spool 4 at a faster rate and more tension is built up in the spring Shortening of the distance between the pulley 9|, the spool 4 and the point of application of the wire to the support 5 will result in a slowing down of the paying out of the wire and in some cases a The carriage 2 is set so that the rectangular end portion I02 of the support 5 is within the aperture in the brace 94. An end rewinding: movement of the windlass. T2 to prefvent slackening. of the. wire. 83; Faster paying out" of the wire-is required, for instance,. when theswire is beingjwound-on the rectangular portion. I02 ofthe. support. 5 than when the; wire is being. wound on. the portion having the curved edge llii. The windlass 12 will. permit rapid withdrawalof the wire 83 from the spool 4- when thezwire; is being wound on the wider portion of thersupport 5 and will operate to maintain the wire. 83= in a taut condition even. when there, is a sudden change. in the Width of the support at. the: point of; application; ofthe. wire. to. the support; By suitable adjustment of the bumper 98; the; winding machine: may bev set'so that the switch; 96' will. be opened to. stop themotor. 53- when; the: carriage: a has. traveled a predetermined. distance.

Theoperatingspeed of the carriage 2'may be changedby'replacing the-worm wheel 64 with a larger; or smaller worm wheel. A set of worm wheels; M5 for: this purpose are mounted on. a. board I06. Also mounted, on theboard I06 are: an extra spool4. and an extra pulley5l. Since the-'block fifi' supporting thezstubshaft 65 is ad-. justably'supported on the bracket 62, the stub shaft: may; be tilted to; accommodate different sizes-:of worm wheels, the screw holding the block 66 being moved upward within the elongated aperture-Bl. when a largerworm' wheel is used in placeof the worm wheel 64-. Changing the. speed of thecarriage 2 will-*obviouslyresult in a change in pitch in the wire winding.

When the wire 83-=hasbeen.woundon the support 5 a required, thewire maybe severed at some-point betweenthe pulley 9| and the support. After the wire-has been severed the end nearerto the pulley Slmay be placed in a clip I01; provided on-the ring gear-3 to hold the wire against rewinding on. the spool 4- and in readiness tobe applied to another support.

Fig; 7 shows a: support I08 having a lower straight edge portion I09 and an opposite edge portion cut away to provide-two. curves H9 and Ill. It will be seen that in winding a wire 83 on this form of-' support therate of paying out of the wire would" have to-be gradually decreased as it progresses down the; curved portion H0 and then would have to be suddenly increased-to startfrom the top of thecurved portion Hi. Thewinding machine above-described-will readily and accurately wind wire on thisform of support since the-windlass 'l2'will maintain the required tension' on the wire83 even when there" is a sudden change in the width of the'support from the nar- The machine will accurately wind awire on a thin stripof insulatin material such, for in stance, as a-strip of cellulose acetate without collapsing or buckling the strip. The strip H4 as shown in Fig. 6'may be in the form of a ribbon or may have curved edge portions corresponding, for instance, to the curved edge portions of the insulating strips shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The strip H4 may be clamped in place on the carrier 2 and held in a taut condition while the wire 83 is being wound thereon, the wire 83 being maintained at a required tensionduring the winding onerationby the windlass 12-sothat the pull of the. wire will not; bend or buckle the-strip H4.

The; brace 94' will prevent distortion of; the strip;

H4 at the instant" point of winding.

It is; obvious that. forms of support. different from those'shown in-Figs. 6; 7 and 8 may be supported on the carriage 2, that the windingmachine will operate to accurately wind wire. on the" support and that the pitch of the winding-may be;

regulated by changing the speed of movement of thecarriage 2, also that certain-changes may be; made in thestructure; of the winding machine, without departing fromthev spirit. of. the inven.--

tion.

What is claimed. is:

l. A machinefor winding strand material ontoa support comprising a longitudinally movable: carriage, spaced, and relatively movable arms.

mounted on said carriage, each of said armsbeingequipped with a clamp for holding anend 'ofsaid. support and oneof said clamps being adjustable.

so that saidsupport may beheld in a taut con.- dition, a rotatablev ring encircling the line. of travelof saidrsupport, means-to operate saidcarriage and saidring, a spring operated windlass:

1 attached to said sleeveand to said spool holding means and.- said windlass being adaptedtomaintainsaid strand material taut during'the winding operation and'being also adapted to slip around on said' rod to preventv overtensioning of said a support comprising a longitudinally movable" carriage, spaced and relatively movablearmsisupported on saidcarriage, each of said arms bein equipped with a clamp to hold an end of said support and one of said clamps being adjustable so'that said'support may be held in a taut condition, a ring rotatable: around the. position of 'said support, means'to operate said carriage and'said ring, a wind-upspring type windlass carried by said ring and adapted to support a supply of said strand material and maintain said strand material taut during the winding operation, said windlass comprising a rod'supported on said ring, a sleeve rotatably supported o-n'said rod, means supported on said rod and normally-pressing; said sleeve into sufiicient frictional engagement with said ring to prevent rotation of said sleeve on said rod; but not sufficient to prevent. rotation of said sleeve on said'rod when undue tension is applied to said strand'material, a spool and a wind-up spring operatedmember rotatably supportedon said sleeve, said'spool andsaidmember being in driving engagement. withv each other, and awindup spring attached to said sleeve and to said member, an apertured brace supported diametrically of said ring-and said brace extending around said. support to hold said supportagainst distortion during the winding. operation.

3. A machine forwinding strand: material ontoa support comprisingin combination, a base plate; a'tracksupported onsaid. base plate, a carriage operating on said track; spaced-arms-on.said;car

9 riage, relatively movable clamping means supported on said arms to hold ends of said support, said clamping means being relatively adjustable so that said support may be held in a taut condition, a frame supported on said base plate, wheels supported on said frame in spaced relation, a rotatable ring supported on said wheels and operating around the line of travel of said support, means to operate said carriage and said ring, an apertured brace supported on said frame and adapted to receive and brace said support against distortion while said strand material is being wound on said support and a spring operated Windlass carried by said ring around the line of travel of said support and adapted to support a supply of said strand material, said Windlass operating to maintain said strand material taut while said strand material is being wound on said support, said Windlass comprising a rod fixedly supported on said ring and extending normal to the plane of said ring, a sleeve rotatably sup ported on said rod, a helical spring supported on said rod and pressing said sleeve into frictional engagement with said ring, a spool and a wind-up spring operated member rotatably supported on said sleeve, said spool being in driving engagement with said wind-up spring member, and the wind-up spring being attached to said sleeve and to said member, and means adjustably supported on said rod and engaging said helical spring to adjust the pressure of said helical spring against said sleeve so that said sleeve will be held against rotation on said rod while said wind-up spring member is winding up to a predetermined extent or isoperating to drive said spool in a rewinding movement, the pressure of said helical spring being insufficient however to prevent rotation of said sleeve when said wind-up spring member has been wound to a predetermined extent.

4. In a wire winding machine comprising means to hold a support on which the wire is to be wound, a rotatable ring adapted to be rotated around the support and means to rotate said ring, a Windlass supported on said ring, said Windlass comprising a rod supported on said ring, a sleeve rotatably supported on said rod, a spool rotatably supported on said sleeve, a collar adjustably supported on said rod, a, spring supported on said rod and pressed against one end of said sleeve by means of said collar, said spring pressing said sleeve into frictional engagement with said ring, a cupshaped member rotatably supported on said sleeve, a wind-up spring attached to said cupshaped member and to said sleeve, means holding said cup-shaped member and said spool against relative movementand means supported on said collar to prevent accidental withdrawal of said spool from said sleeve.

ARNO H. MULLER. 

